Nepal: Monarchy as a deterrent?

N.P.Upadhyaya

Kathmandu: The country’s politics certainly is set for a dramatic change.

The new patterns and trends which came into existence well after the entrance of the ex-rebels in the mainstream politics appear to be drifting for a cause that is by all means a special one.

Analysts say that the changes in political stances that are being thrown for public consumption through lectures and statements from new and old stalwarts from different quarters appear that what ever is currently going on is a calculated move or at least the noble gestures have converged at a pint.

It could be a mere conjecture as well. However, the manner the country’s politics has converged at a point does tell that there is a power center, invisible for some but visible for our analysts, that are goading the entire politics in a way that suit it most.

The center well could be a group of person, could also be a country-near and far-which has for the moment a one point agenda and that being “saving” the monarchy at any cost.

Look at the series of events that the population has just witnessed and that too well within a time span of ten days only.

September 2: The entire capital city is rocked by the bomb explosions in series.

September 3: The Nepal Army suspects the hands of the Maoists though in a very diplomatic manner with no concrete evidence to furnish.

September 4: The Maoists ideologue and second man in command, Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai summarily rejects the Nepal Army theory and finds it more comfortable in hurling the allegations onto the heads of the Army itself.

The allegations and counter allegations thus continue which apparently continues till to day even.

September 4-5: Ms. Sujata Koirala-the dynamic illustrious daughter of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala suddenly breaks her silence in Pokhara and vociferously demands the continuation of the monarchy come what may. She even favored “constitutional monarchy” going one step forward that what others in a feeble voice say that they would, if pressed hard, might agree to a “ceremonial” status for the monarchy.

This is not all.

Come September 6, the same lady courageously reveals in Baglung that a sizeable strength of her party’s central committee members would want the institution of the monarchy intact, however, for reasons best known to them only, have preferred not to declare their inner feelings.

In effect, Sujata meant that the NC as a party of the liberals would very much like to provide a safe landing for the monarch and that it was necessary to keep the institution alive at least to facilitate the institutionalization of democratic system.

She went on to say that the King factor should not and could not be dismissed in the given context at least to keep at bay any other forces that might gulp the entire democratic system.

She was apparently hinting at the fact that if per chance the Maoists’ ideology prevailed and their strength swelled, the King’s presence in the country could well act as a political “deterrent”.

Any way this was her analysis.

Analysts here and there might differ with her “solo” analysis. Nevertheless, what is puzzling is that how could Sujata-comparatively a new entrant into the NC paraphernalia-have dared to make a million dollar public declaration without getting an inkling from her august father-the man commanding the entire NC party and who is the country’s Prime Minister as well?

No less puzzling is the crude reality that Sujata has stated in public that the NC must not abandon monarchical line which has just come after only three days of the NC adopting a republican line for the CA polls. It is surprising and looks more like a jigsaw puzzle.

No sane people in Kathmandu’s political circle would believe that Sujata spoke her own and that whatever she ventilated had nothing to do with the NC’s recently adopted line and that being the republican order.

As an obedient daughter of a Party President who is herself now a member of the congress CC and also a MP in the interim parliament, the presumption is this, must not have ventilated her remarks favoring monarchy without having “consulted” her party ranks.

The general presumption in Nepal is that Koirala is expert in “Firing Bullets Keeping the
Gun in others’ Shoulders” as per the Nepali saying.

If this presumption is correct then it should be Koirala and Koirala alone who could have fired shots leaving the “Gun in her daughter’s hands” this time.

It is also believed that as and when Koirala wants to ventilate some thing of high import, he then takes the advice of Krishna Prasad Bhattarai-one of the founding fathers of the NC party.

And Lo! Mr. Bhattarai even exceeded in defending the institution of the monarchy than what Sujata said of the institution.

The September 9 statement of Bhattarai not only advocates the continuation of the monarchical institution but also daringly suggests all, more so his own NC party-to what he calls “patch-up” the differences with the Monarch toeing the line of what is known as the “theory of reconciliation” which had been enunciated by late B.P.Koirala and Ganesh man Singh-the two full sized NC stalwarts.

Well, to sum up, the NC’s growing “love and honor” for the almost sinking monarchy is remarkable in the sense that it is the NC which has set the ball rolling and hopefully the days ahead will definitely invite both positive and negative comments both from within and without.

Finally, first Sujata and then Bhattarai favoring the institution of the monarchy. But why?

Is that a compulsion for fear of the Maoists take over or a grace period for the monarchy?

Be that as it may, analysts conclude that some thing heavy is being cooked up in Kathmandu kitchen. However, where lay the kitchen, no body knows. Guess where could be that special kitchen? Some say it is in an around cartier Lazimpat. Could be some where else!

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